Hello, here is the next chapter, please feel free to let me know on what you think about it. Leave a comment especially if you have the time. If you liked it, give subscription and/or bookmark.
Here is some of the responses to recent comments:
On the question on a possible Teyvat conference with FDR and Churchill, so far there is talk on Wangshu In and Poisson (for their small size) , and even House of Daena for its grandeur. I will keep this question open for some time on the matter.
On the way that the Bismarck disappeared, I did take some inspiration from the conspiracy theory of the Philadelphia Experiment.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
May 29th, 1941
Pamela's Flat, London, England
The wireless crackled on Pamela's side table with its brown case, while Aether sat at a chair in front of it listening and Paimon floating right beside him. Aether had his hands clapped together with the tips touching his lips as he stared at it and listened. Not far behind him was Pug and Pamela, who were listening with just as much tension. They listened as it began immediately after being turned on as the voice of Churchill could be heard through the static.
"...with the realm of Snezhnaya standing hand in glove with Hitler, and with the unwarranted attack upon His Majesty's Ship Suffolk and her gallant crew, His Majesty's Government can no longer treat this power as rumor, curiosity, or distant menace. The Bismarck was grievously crippled by the skill and sacrifice of the Fleet Air Arm, was withdrawn from her impending destruction by means supplied by the Tsaritsa and her servants, the Fatui. A door was opened in the sea. Through that door, Hitler's battleship escaped the guns of the Home Fleet. We have seen the Fatui in Greece. We have seen their weapons at sea. We have seen their power placed at the disposal of Nazi Germany. The time has therefore come to speak plainly before the world. His Majesty's Government recognizes that a state of war exists between the British Empire and the realm of Snezhnaya."
Aether could feel the tension in the room as that last sentence struck everyone. The idea that two nations from two different worlds could acknowledge each other felt like slamming face-first into the side of the Alcor's hull. However, Churchill was not done yet as he continued.
"But let these words, by whatever road providence and the grace of God may yet provide, carry far beyond this island and beyond this world. Let them be heard in Teyvat, among nations over which the Tsaritsa has no rightful claim and no lawful voice. Our quarrel is with the Tsaritsa's war machine, with the Fatui who serve it, and with every power that has joined hands with Hitler's Reich. To those in Teyvat who have suffered beneath her yoke, who have endured her agents, who have feared her designs, I say this, Britain does not name you enemy. Instead, Britain extends its hand to you. If the Tsaritsa has chosen tyranny, then together let the free peoples of both our worlds stand together. Let our strength, our courage, and our common love of liberty unite until the powers of Nazism and Tsaritsaism be broken and cast down. Let us go forth together, with honour in our cause, justice as our shield, perseverance as our spear, and victory as our end. "
Aether could name at least ten people right off that would take Churchill up on that offer without a moment's hesitation for just the chance to get back at the Fatui. At the top, he could imagine a certain red haired bartender in Mondstadt who would be cutting in line.
"Wow, he really went through with it," Paimon whispered.
Pamela's hand tightened around the edge of the side table.
"God help us," she said softly.
"It may be the first formally declared war between two worlds," Pug said.
"But how can his message get to Teyvat?" Aether replied as he thought on it.
"Even if the Fatui go out and admit that they were now at war," He thought, "They could just lie and say that it was started by the British without having to mention anything else; they would have a head start against the British in the public opinion in Teyvat."
"That is a good question," Pug admitted with his face settled into a hard professional stillness, "That is what we call a propaganda problem."
However, Aether said nothing at first as he thought about yesterday when he was talking to Pug, who wanted to hear more from Aether about Teyvat compared to Earth.
FLASHBACK: The Previous Night
It was dark with the lights of the apartment bright, as Pug was telling Aether about films on Earth
"So all the films in this world are in Black and White?" Paimon said floating beside Aether's chair, "I thought maybe the propaganda movie from the Nazi Director was a one-off thing."
"Not all," Pug said, "Most are and Color exists, but it's expensive and still something of a spectacle. There was a movie that came out not long ago that used both called the Wizard of Oz, when the main character is in our world it's black and white but when she lands in the world of OZ, then it goes to color. But not many theaters even have a projector that can show color."
"Well, we definitely have to see that movie for sure. Sounds much better than that Nazi movie we saw in Fontaine," Paimon said.
Aether nodded as he continued, "Any other good movies from your world that we should see?"
Then Pamela came rushing with absolute surprise on her face as she closed the door. Paimon was very interested to see some of these films that Pug was mentioning.
Pug was the first to notice it as he walked up, "Everything alright?"
"Yes, uhm….." Pamela said for a moment, "Victor, Aether has an important guest wanting to see him right now and it might take a while. Would you like to go for a walk for a bit?"
"At this hour?" Pug said.
Pamela nodded, while Paimon drifted closer to Aether's ear and asked how important it could be.
"Well, is anyplace in particular this guest from?" Pug asked curiously.
Pamela sharpened as she nodded again as she walked up to whisper it to Pug's ear and Aether noticed that Pug raised his eyebrows in almost shock for a moment.
"You sure?" Pug asked.
"If it isn't then it's a good double that I have seen," Pamela said, "There is a couple of guards around watching."
"Very well," Pug said as he grabbed a waistcoat to put on and walked up to Aether for a moment, "Traveller, I recommend that you quickly freshen yourself up on who you are about to see. I will be back with Pamela in a bit…..but Paimon watch your manners."
Paimon almost glared as she planted her hands on her hips, "What do you mean watch my manners, I have manners thank you very much."
"Then find the emergency rations of them," Pug said as he walked out with Pamela not far behind and closed the door.
For a moment, Aether stood up to check himself out real quick and brushed himself off.
"Who do you think it is?" Paimon asked, "I doubt that it's Mr. Churchill, he would have probably announced himself beforehand."
"I think we are about to find out," Aether answered as the sound of low voices and footsteps could be heard coming to the door of Pamela's flat.
Then came a couple of knocks and Paimon replied with, "Come in."
Aether turned his head sharply toward her.
"Paimon," he whispered.
"What?" Paimon whispered back, "They knocked!"
The door opened, then a man entered and closed the door behind him as he looked at Aether for a moment, then he saw Paimon floating and nearly starred for a moment. The stare allowed Aether to get a good look at the man as he was taller than Aether by a good bit and had a narrow face with light blue eyes that blinked for a moment as he processed Paimon. He wore a dark-blue double-breasted suit with a white shirt under it and a dark tie. His hair was neatly combed back from his pale face.
However, Paimon had enough as she spoke, "Sir, no offense, could you not stare at Paimon? You are probably the tenth person who has given Paimon that look since we arrived in England and it gets exhausting really quickly."
Aether did not know why but for some reason he felt his soul leave his body.
The man did not answer immediately, but he drew a careful breath as he inclined his head.
"Forgive me," he said with a voice lower and more controlled than Aether was used to hearing, "I did not intend to be rude."
Paimon blinked as she was somehow not expecting it.
"Oh," she said as she placed a hand to her chin in thought, "Well, apology accepted….Mr….Mr...umh….who are you?"
The man looked at her for a moment as if she asked if the sky was blue. Then came the careful pause that Aether noticed earlier.
"My christian name," he said, "is Albert but I am more known as George."
Paimon tilted her head, "Albert?"
"That was the name given to me," the man continued, "But I reign as George."
Aether immediately started to sweat profusely.
"Wait?" Paimon said, "When you say reign, you mean..."
The man inclined his head once as he replied, "Yes, I am King George the Sixth of the United Kingdom."
Paimon stared at Aether, who had every bit of blood in his body report for emergency duty. Then Paimon stared at King George VI after it clicked.
"Oh," she said.
Aether bowed at once as if his body had apparently decided to act before his mind finished screaming it, "Your Majesty."
Paimon dropped into a floating bow so quickly that her halo bobbed. The King's mouth twitched as Aether could tell that the monarch was trying not to smile.
"Please," he said, "rise, both of you, I am not here to collect curtsies."
The two straightened with Paimon still hovering and adjusting her halo to make herself look more presentable.
King George VI glanced toward the chair Pug had vacated, "May I?"
"Yes, of course, Your Majesty," Aether replied.
The king sat and settled into the chair, while Aether kept standing until the King looked toward the chair opposite of him. Immediately, Aether sat down with Paimon floating besides his shoulder. Paimon looked like she was trying to pretend that she had not scolded the King of Britain within thirty seconds of meeting him. The King rested on hand on the arm of the chair with his thumb pressed against the fabric. Aether felt that it was as if the King was holding his mouth ensuring every word passed inspection before being released.
"I have been told," the King said, "that you travelled here from the same world as Snezhnaya."
Aether nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty."
"And that you are not Snezhnayan nor from Teyvat."
"No."
"And you are not Fatui."
"No," Aether said at once.
"I have been told, by several reliable sources, that you have made yourself a persistent difficulty to the Fatui," the King said plainly.
Aether blinked and then nodded, "That's one way to put it."
"I must confess that the tales that I have learned make anything like Homer's Odyssey seem childish," the King said.
"I don't know about that, but if it works to summarize then I guess," Aether replied.
"Don't worry, I say it as a compliment," the King responded with a smirk, "The reason why I have to come to speak to you is because of the situation facing my countrymen. I need to ask an opinion of you and Miss. Paimon's."
Paimon had her turn to blink again, "Say what?"
"You have seen the Fatui and Snezhnaya's agents at work. And, if I may say so, you appear to have strong opinions," The King answered, "I assume that you have been given the full story of what happened of the event at sea recently with Hood, Suffolk, and Bismarck."
Aether nodded slowly.
"If Snezhnaya has made war upon British ships, Britain must answer. That is plain."
Aether nodded slowly.
"But there is another matter," the King continued. "If Britain declares war upon Snezhnaya, we will be fighting something that we cannot imagine. What we seen have in the Atlantic and Greece will only be a beginning. We had the Blitz, my Palace and even Houses of Parliament were even bombed, but I fear that your Tsaritsa will bring more upon us with what we have seen in combat. The manner of Bismarck's escape has alarmed members of the Prime Minister's cabinet more than the loss of the ships themselves. They fear that this technology, the ability to open a door at sea, will give Hitler what his air force could not. We told ourselves the Channel and the RAF stood between us and that. If the Tsaritsa can open a door anywhere she chooses, then nothing stands between us and it. My own staff are even suggesting that I should take the idea of fleeing to Canada seriously now. But my question to you, is if we declare war on the Tsaritsa, then do we even have a chance?"
Aether thought on the question for a moment as the King waited and then Aether drew a breath.
"Your Majesty," he said, "I have fought the Fatui in five nations of Teyvat. I have seen them manipulate governments, start civil wars, supply weapons to both sides of a conflict, and assassinate anyone who stood in their way. I have seen them take a Gnosis by kicking a bard in broad daylight."
Paimon looked to Aether for him to continue.
"You ask if I believe you have a chance," Aether continued, "then my answer is yes. Not because you have better weapons or anything. The Fatui are not invincible and I have seen them make mistakes by underestimating people. They rely on fear and secrecy, but I have seen your streets and met some of your people. Your people are not easily frightened of anything and that might be where the Fatui could lose."
The King considered Aether's words as he said slowly, "Then you have my support."
"Say what?" Paimon said.
"Any man who can trouble the Fatui so deeply that his name reaches Hitler's table has earned my attention," he said, "Any man for whom the Tsaritsa's servants would offer a king's ransom has earned rather more than that."
"Your Majesty, if your country intends to go to war with Snezhnaya, then let me help you," Aether admitted.
The King did not answer at once. His thumb pressed once against the chair fabric and Aether saw that careful gathering of breath again.
"In what capacity?"
Aether stood up as he spoke, "Anything…whatever helps…..I'm willing to enlist in the military if needed. I have experience from the Inazuman Civil War as a captain of a unit called the Swordfish Two."
Paimon's head snapped toward him as she nearly screamed, "Traveller!!!"
George VI studied him as the room got silent with the sound of a ticking clock.
"I am told that you have a sister and that she has been lost to you," the King said, "and that finding her is the purpose which has carried you across your world."
Aether nodded.
"If you enlist, it is an oath to the King and Country. A soldier may be sent where he is needed, not where his heart would choose to go," the King continued, "Do you understand what I am trying to tell you?"
"Yes," Aether admitted.
"Then I must ask you plainly, Mr. Aether," The King paused, gathering the sentence with care, "Could you swear such an oath while your sister remains lost?"
Aether wanted to answer with affirmation strong in his heart as it would have been easier. The Fatui were the people that he detested after fighting them many times, but Britain was going to fight them and he wanted to help when he heard about the number of survivors from Hood and the loss of the Suffolk. But then Aether thought of Lumine where her hand slipped from his and the empty space beside him that had followed him from nation to nation.
"No," he said quietly, "Not if it meant abandoning her."
The King nodded once as if that was the answer he had expected, "Then I shall not ask you of it….but you are willing to fight. I will advise the Prime Minister that you are to be treated neither as a prisoner nor as a curiosity, but as a special adviser on matters concerning Snezhnaya, the Fatui, and Teyvat. I suspect that you and I will in close connections with each other, Mr. Aether or do you prefer being called your titles…..like Honorary Knight? First Sage of Buer? Hero of Liyue?"
"Just Aether or Traveller, Your Majesty," Aether replied, "The Shogun of Inazuma even calls me, Traveller. I am just use to it."
"I see," the King said as he reached into his coat and removed a cigarette case, then paused with it in his hand, "May I?"
Aether blinked before realizing what he meant and quickly answered, "Oh. Yes, Your Majesty."
George VI took a cigarette but did not light it at once. He held it between two fingers, studying Aether with a careful, almost puzzled look.
"And if you are around," He paused, "I would not object to inviting you to Buckingham Palace. The Queen and I would like to hear more of your journeys in Teyvat."
"I would be honored, Your Majesty," Aether replied.
The King nodded, then finally lit the cigarette. He took one careful draw before lowering it, and the smoke curled upward in a pale thread beneath the apartment light. He stood up keeping the cigarette in one hand and held his other hand to Aether.
"I look forward to hearing more of what you can do to help, Traveller. And that is one of the reasons why I will not run to Canada," The King said.
Aether nodded as he took the King's hands and shook it firmly.
In the Present
May 29th, 1941
Pamela's Flat, London, England
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN PAIMON GETS A RATION BOOK MEANT FOR KIDS?"
Aether nearly jumped with how Paimon's voice hit the ceiling hard enough that Aether half-expected plaster to fall. He saw Pamela holding a big envelope and winced as Paimon floated right in front of her and nearly got in her face. In Paimon's hand was a small booklet that was blue.
Aether walked over slowly to get a look.
"Maybe because the Ministry of Food doesn't exactly have a classification for a small floating foreign otherworldly envoy," Pamela replied.
Aether leaned closer and read the clover.
Ministry of Food
Junior Ration Book
June 1941 Issue
Under it was the following:
Surname: Paimon
Other Names: Unknown
The next part had Pamela's address on it, but there was a part for if the person is under 18 years old to have their date of birth, but for Paimon there was just the word of 'Unknown.' However, Paimon was not looking at the cover as she flipped through the book to the pages of coupons, where she stopped at one for bacon and ham.
"4 OUNCES OF BACON AND HAM PER WEEK?" Paimon screamed, "THAT'S ONLY ENOUGH TO LAST FOR A LIGHT BREAKFAST! WHAT KIND OF WORLD IS THIS?"
"A world at war," Pug said dryly.
Paimon flipped another page with the urgency of a scholar searching for a lost prophecy.
"Sugar," she read, "Eight ounces per week."
"That is not terrible," Aether said carefully.
Paimon looked at him as if he had betrayed every meal they had ever eaten together, "Not terrible? Traveler, that is the amount of sugar Paimon expects to find accidentally stuck to her fingers after dessert."
Paimon turned to another page, "Maybe Butter can save this!"
"Two ounces," Pamela said, backing away slowly.
"Two?" Paimon asked as her hope seemed to die.
"Two," Pamela confirmed.
"What is Paimon supposed to do with two ounces?" Paimon asked with a glare.
"Make it last," Pamela replied.
"Oh that's funny, I have heard better jokes from the Tone-Deaf-Bard."
The phone could be heard as Pamela walked over to it and answered it with a greeting. She turned to Aether for a moment.
"Yes, he is here," Pamela replied.
Aether could hear sound from the telephone as the person on the other responded. After a minute, she turned back to Aether and took the phone off her ear.
"It's General Tillet, he wishes to speak to you urgently," she said to Aether.
Aether walked to the telephone and took the receiver from Pamela.
"Hello?" Aether said.
The voice on the other end was the same crisp British voice that Aether heard from General Tillet when he first met him after arriving in London.
"Mr. Aether…I am sorry…I mean Traveller."
"It's fine if either one works."
"Well, then, it's General Tillet, I hope I am not interrupting anything vital."
Paimon, still clutching the blue ration book, glared at the telephone.
"You were interrupting Paimon's struggle for basic food justice!" Aether replied.
Aether could almost hear a chuckle on the other end.
"Ah, yes," Tillet said, "Then I shall try to be brief then. Do you remember when you told the King that you wished to help us against your friends from your side of the universe?"
"Yes, I do," Aether said.
"Well, it seems that you have made an impression on him, my boy, as he remembered it rather vividly. Apparently, some people are getting cracking after the King's Written and Verbal Endorsement to Churchill; especially that by now our Ambassador in Switzerland has handed the German delegation in Bern the declaration that will go straight to the Snezhnayan Embassy in Berlin, if they haven't already heard the Prime Minister's speech by now."
"I'm sure they heard it," Aether said.
"I wouldn't doubt it. But I was wondering if maybe you would be willing to come down to the War Office immediately, there is something that we wish to discuss with you of extreme importance."
Aether glanced toward Pug briefly. Pug had moved closer to the telephone, his expression no longer carrying even the smallest trace of amusement from Paimon's ration book. He gave Aether a short nod.
"I'll come," Aether said.
"Good," Tillet answered. "Commander Henry is with you, I believe?"
"Yes."
"Bring him as well, if the United States Navy can endure the loss of his company for an afternoon. I am sure that his president will want to hear of what we plan to do about the situation involving our newly declared enemy"
Pug leaned close enough for his voice to carry, "It can."
"Excellent, bring Miss. Paimon along as well. I will see you in a bit, a car will come by to pick you up in about twenty minutes," Tillet said cheerfully, "I will talk to you then."
Before Aether could ask anything else, the General hung up.
About an hour later
They arrived at the War Office in Whitehall down a street that Aether learned was called Horse Guards Avenue, where they arrived at a building with a statue right beside it. As they entered, General Tillet was waiting outside for them as they stepped out. He greeted them with a small bow of the head.
"Mr. Aether. Commander Henry. Miss Paimon. Thank you for coming so promptly," he said.
"Well, you asked to see me," Aether replied.
"Well, since the party is here, let's get inside already," Tillet said.
They were led inside as they walked to a desk not far from the entrance, where a civilian and a soldier on guard duty were at. The Civilian at the desk stared at Paimon floating right beside Aether and was still carrying her ration book, but it was not helping that Paimon looked as if she was ready to find someone to yell at.
Tillet said, "Special visitors. Cleared by my office."
The civilian nodded as they wrote something down and swallowed. Afterwards, the group followed Tillet up a broad staircase where framed notices hung between doors as they reached the top floor. After a bit, they were led into a room while Tillet closed the door behind them. This room was large with a long wooden table filled with different people with name cards. They ranged from the Ministry of Information, SOE, Operations Division, War Office, Admiralty, Foreign Office, and even some sort of school present.
Tillet asked everyone to have a seat, where Aether sat right beside a man that appeared to be from the Operations Division based on the name card.
Paimon did not sit down as she floated right beside Aether, "Paimon will just float, you don't have a chair that will fit Paimon shape."
"Very well," Tillet said as he sat down at the head of the table and Pug decided to sit right beside Aether.
Then Tillet placed both hands on the table as he spoke, "Before we begin, I must emphasize that nothing said in this room is to leave it without authorization. Not in memoranda, not in private letters, not in club conversation, and certainly not in anything a journalist can smell from across the street."
A bunch of people nodded with Aether joining them.
"Now the Prime Minister has authorized me to develop the formation of a small stopgap working committee to coordinate matters arising from Snezhnaya's entry into the war," Tillet continued, "Now you are all here and were selected because your group has either experienced difficulties with the Snezhnayan's on the field or have an interest that the Prime Minister felt was necessary made your presence necessary to be here. Now the name of this committee is to be known as Interdepartmental Committee Seventeen on Enemy Irregular Capabilities or short Committee 17."
"What happened to the other sixteen?" was asked by a man from the Royal Air Force with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, with luck," Tillet said, "the Germans and the Snezhnayans will waste valuable time wondering the same thing. Now this committee does not replace the office, service, ministry, or any sector that you are from. To be clear, it exists because Fatui's presence has created a problem and the Prime Minister wants solutions to be made as soon as possible before the buggers get even more clever."
"No disrespect, General," a man from the Foreign Office continued, "But I still have reservations on the Traveller and his abilities."
Tillet looked at the man and replied, "Your name, for Mr. Aether's benefit."
"Latham," the man said, "Foreign Office. Northern Department, presently attached to emergency liaison matters."
"We are being asked to take the word of a young man who claims to have fought gods, demons, and some heavenly power that rules his world from the clouds," Latham set down a pen as he continued, "I would remind the committee that it has been thirty years since a party of Bloomsbury pranksters painted their faces, wrapped themselves in robes, and convinced the Royal Navy they were entertaining a Prince of Abyssinia aboard the Dreadnought herself. The Navy even gave them a guard of honour and became a laughing stock for years"
He looked at Aether without warmth and continued,"I find I am reluctant to see the second naval embarrassment of the century. We have already lost two ships this month. I should prefer not to lose our dignity as well."
"I don't know what Mr. Latham is talking about," Aether replied, "But if it helps settle his concerns."
Aether held a hand out real quick for everyone to see as he summoned a spinning ball of solid blue water above his palm. The water did not splash or dripped but spun in circular waves of tiny currents. The reaction was instantaneous as it seemed almost everyone forgot to breathe.
Paimon folded her arms with deep satisfaction, "That is him being kind. You should see what he could do to a Hilicurl."
The globe of water continued to spin above Aether's palm as men and women stared with varying degrees of discipline. The man from the Admiralty leaned forward before catching himself, while the Royal Air Force Officer's eyebrows climbed as far as they could. The man from the School did not seem shocked, but more interested if anything.
"I can do other elements if you want?" Aether asked Latham.
Latham stared at the water for several seconds and removed his spectacles, where he cleaned them with a handkerchief and placed them back on his nose.
"I withdraw the comparison," Latham replied.
Aether closed his palm where the water disappeared without a splash or spray going anywhere in the room.
"Now before you continue to be astonished, let's get to the task at hand," Tillet said.
After a moment, he looked toward the far side of the table where a young man sat behind a card marked with G.C. & C.S. Aether could not tell what the smaller text below said but he could make out the word at the end saying 'school.' But the man behind the card was more interesting to Aether as he gave out a mixture of presence that seemed to combine both Sucrose and Albedo in one body. However, the man did not seem to have Sucrose's nervousness or Albedo's calm warmth when he watched Aether perform his water technique just now. If anything, he seemed to watch it as if it was a new problem that could be solved in his own way on how Aether did it.
"Dr. Turing if you please."
The young strange man lifted a pencil as he looked at Aether.
"Mr. Aether," he said, sounding in a voice that could compete with Albedo on intellect, "My group was reading some of your testimony that you gave and there was one part that had my attention."
"And what's that?" Aether asked.
"The captured Fatui message in Mondstadt," Dr. Turing spoke as he looked at some notes, "Showed to you by….and correct me if I am wrong….Acting Grand Master Jean."
"That is correct," Aether affirmed.
Turing made a small mark on his page.
"And this message was recovered from a dead Fatui agent?" Turing continued.
Aether nodded as he explained the story that Jean told him how the Knights of Favonius got a hold of it.
"And was the message that she showed the original or a copy made of it?" Turing asked.
"I wouldn't say for sure."
"And what was the general feeling about the message from the Knights?"
"Albedo said that it looked like a transmission format for mechanical relay," Aether explained.
"And who is this Albedo?"
"He's the Knights of Favonius smartest people….he's like their Chief Alchemist." Paimon said taking a turn to speak, "But Paimon thought that the message was weird as it was all groups of letters…nothing really that Paimon could understand."
Turing stopped for a moment as he seemed to grasp it for a moment, "Groups of letters…..were they arranged in groups of five?"
"Yes, there were. Except the header at the top," Aether replied.
"Header?" Turing asked, almost sounding confused.
Aether nodded as he continued, "There was a line above the letter groups with numerals, letters, and letter. Albedo believed that it might be settings to understand the message."
"I see….I have two more questions and that will be all for me. But the first is about the message, how many people in your world know that the Knights have in their possession this message?" Turing asked.
"Five people. Me, Paimon, Jean, Albedo, and the Knights own Cipher specialist," Aether answered, "but I suggested to Jean that she keep it at that for the moment."
"Marvelous," Turing said, sounding relieved, "Now my last question about the Fatui. When compared to the Nazi's, are they seen in your world as very fantical about their Tsaritsa? Like how the Nazi's might…like maybe shout in the streets the words of 'Heil Hitler'"
"No," Aether said slowly, "Not in public that I have seen or before I have to fight them. They usually like to be more secretive, but it is common knowledge in Teyvat that the Fatui represents the Tsaritsa's will."
"I see," Turing said, almost sounding disappointed, "Thank you, Mr. Aether. Do you think if the opportunity came that Acting Grand Master Jean might let us examine the message?"
"She might," Aether said.
Turing nodded briefly and seemed to be pleased, where he thanked Aether again.
"Now as the days go by, many of you will have a chance to meet and chat with Mr. Aether on the weapons and technology of his world, especially what the Fatui possess. Do try to keep it fair, gentlemen, so that Mr. Aether may visit each of you in turn and not become the object of a War of the Austrian Succession between departments.," Tillet continued as everyone laughed.
The Royal Air Force officer leaned forward, "General, since we are discussing future interviews with Mr. Aether, there is one point the Air Ministry would prefer not to leave too late. Considering the urgency for Operation Portcullis"
Tillet looked at him, "Go on, Wing Commander."
The officer turned his attention to Aether and pulled a packet of photographs, where handed them down the table until it landed on Aether's hand.
"Recently, the Prime Minister has asked Bomber Command to begin plans to get vengeance for Bismarck's escape by planning to renew bombings on the German Battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in Brest in order to prevent them from both breaking out into the Atlantic or escaping to Teyvat," the Officer continued, "where we can't even reach."
"Wait, so when you say renewed bombing on them, you mean?" Paimon asked.
"We have done damage to them before in Brest…We even got a torpedo into Gneisenau once at a cost….You can see in that one photo that the two big ships circled are in a dry dock for repairs. Gneisenau is understandable to understand why, but the Scharnhorst is questionable and after Bismarck, we are not taking any chances with it," the Royal Air Force officer replied.
"For all we know, the Snezhnayans might be adding their modifications to the two ships with the time that they have got," the man representing the Operations Division stated.
"That, Captain Shepard, is the general feeling in Bomber Command," the RAF Officer stated, "and why we want the Traveller to look at these photos to see if he can possibly point anything out for their bombers as they go in for their run."
Aether looked at the photo that was indicated where he saw a harbor and on the left was three large holes that were not containing water but blocked the water by a barrier. Inside two of the holes were two identical large ships that were bigger than the Alcor many times over. Around them was a thick white smoke that tried to cover them from the ground.
"I can't make out anything on the ground easily, sorry," Aether admitted.
"Well, how about the next photo that we got from a contact from the local French Resistance who was following your friends," the RAF officer asked.
Aether turned the page where it was still black and white, but was more clearer. The picture was a street of what he assumed is Brest where a line of Clockwork Mekas of various types were walking. Although, the photo was a behind shot, Aether could recognize them and behind them was a single Ruin Guard.
"That," Aether said quietly, "is a Ruin Guard."
Tillet leaned forward, "Are you certain?"
"They're common to find in Teyvat in Liyue and Mondstadt especially," Aether confirmed.
The RAF Officer's expressions hardened like steel, "And the small machines?"
"Clockwork Meka," Aether said, "You normally find them in Fontaine."
"Is Fontaine supplying them?" the Foreign Office Representative asked.
Aether shook his head, "Fontaine's Maison Gardiennage uses them for law enforcement but these are things any one can have as there is no patent law on them. You can go to the Court of Fontaine and buy one for yourself, you just would have to register them. But there is a whole black market from them with the military models going for a high price and going as far to modify them to be deadly."
"So Fontaine is not supplying the enemy? Most likely they are bought through those Shell Companies you mentioned and illegitimate sources?"
"Probably at first yes," Aether answered, "But it's the Ruin Guards that are the bigger problem, they can shot rockets from their back"
"Rockets?" Tillet repeated, "From their backs?"
Aether nodded as he explained how the rockets were always slow with a short track time on the ground.
"So, the new enemy has a hidden force that could shoot slow movement-tracking rockets towards our bombers," the RAF officer stated, "Looks like High Level Bombing at night is still on the ration book."
Paimon looked down at the blue ration book still clutched in her hands as if she wanted to say something, but decided to remain silent.
"Mr. Aether, I will be plain with you….this whole Snezhnaya business has thrown us a loop to say the least," the RAF officer said, "I talked with the Prime Minister and he was wondering if maybe you would be willing to join the crew of one of the bombers and watch us in action. Might be something to write to your friends in Mondstadt and the other nations on how we fight to say the least."
The moment Pug heard that from the RAF officer, he glanced with a side eye as if it was a sense of deja vu all over again. Aether noticed it and had a feeling that it was something Pug had done before and almost personally regretted.
"I'll think about it," Aether replied.
"Very well," Tillet said, "Let's adjourn for now…You will schedule your appointments with Mr. Aether through me and we will return tomorrow."
The meeting ended for now as Aether watched everyone but Pug, Paimon, and Tillet left the room in an orderly fashion. Tillet seemed to be filled with pride in his face as he walked up to the remaining group.
"I would say that we possibly accomplished as much as the Congress of Vienna here from now on," Tillet suggested, "and with fewer waltzes."
Paimon blinked, "Paimon does not know what that is, but it sounds like people talked and talked until everything was complicated like Alice's parenting skills."
May 30th, 1941
Berghof, Obersalzberg, Bavaria, Germany
The staff car had been stopped several times on the climb, each time by SS sentries who checked the General's permit against a list before waving it on. He saw these hills and the valley many times as the Führer stayed here more times than at Berlin it seemed. Every time that he was summoned here was like never going to a meeting, but once he arrived at the Berghof House that instantly changed.
After passing three checkpoints, the car stopped as a young SS-Obersturmführer with a clean face with blue eyes and blonde hair checked the name against the list. He opened the door and came to attention with the Hitler salute.
"Herr General, they are expecting you. The Führer is waiting for you at the house balcony with the Reichsführer and Herr Doktor," he said with a clear accent that told him that the man was from the Rhineland.
Von Roon returned the salute with an arm vertically up as he stepped out and was escorted to the house entrance, where was taken to the great hall with its different paintings and the fireplace. As he stepped down the small red steps, he was led to the balcony where Hitler stood at the railing, looking out toward the forest with the sunlight shining upon it. The surprise to Von Roon was that this meeting was held with no general staff. Jodl, Halder, and the other generals that made up the OKW's system were absent; it was just him, Hitler, Himmler, and Il Dottore. Himmler, with his hands behind his back, was in his unusually stiff and thin shape in a black uniform. Dottore was in usual white coat with a beak-like mask on his face while hints of his wavy blue hair. He was seated on a chair looking towards the forest, while on his hand was a cup of tea and saucer.
Every time that Von Roon met Dottore, there seemed to be an invisible force that wanted to make von Roon lose his stomach and nerves in fear. He heard a tale that Dottore had boasted in a meeting with OKW when the planning for the Yugoslav Crisis on answering a question on prisoner logistics with a remark on what he had successfully learned on dissecting his original on its eightieth birthday. The fact that the man was the 38th segment of many that once existed did not disgust Von Roon, but instead it was when he explained how he and his many segments waited like animals circling prey to cut up their own. The details that he gave were long, descriptive, and even grotesque. Now that fact had Von Roon and other members of the OKW nearly start losing their lunch and Von Roon was sure some did after the meeting in the hallways. Especially when processing that a being who would do that to his own flesh, and describe it over a conference table as an answer to a question about prisoners, recognized no person living as exempt from the table.
Von Roon stepped fully onto the balcony as Hitler turned to him.
"Roon," Hitler said.
"Mein Führer," Von Roon answered.
Himmler glanced back over one shoulder. His round spectacles caught a white flash of mountain light, turning his eyes for an instant into blank glass. Dottore raised his cup and took a slow sip, not greeting Von Roon at all. Thankfully, Von Roon took as god's small sign of mercy that could be given to him.
"You have heard of the news from Ribbentrop?" Hitler asked.
"Yes, mein Führer," Von Roon replied, "I listened to the speech last night, the part that had my concern the most was not the fact of Churchill's declaration against Snezhnaya. Instead, it was his appeal to the other nations in Teyvat."
Von Roon felt the sentence settle on the balcony and spoke it as Hitler said nothing for a few seconds. However, the Führer's face had hardened with no anger, but he seemed to weigh with judgment on the implications.
Then Hitler gave a short laugh as if not believing it seriously, "Appeals ....appeals….Churchill always appeals to everyone he can. He appealed to the French before they collapsed. He appealed to Roosevelt before America hid behind its so-called neutrality. He now appeals to cities and whatever he can in a realm that is under the influence of the Tsaritsa."
Himmler's mouth twitched into amusement.
Von Roon kept his eyes forward as he replied, "Even so, mein Führer, he named them as potential allies. He did not simply just declare war on the Tsaritsa, but told a message for Teyvat that his fight is not against them. That was the important part as if certain nations hear the appeal that changes the situation."
Dottore set his teacup down as the porcelain made a small sound against the saucer.
"That is the correct reading," Dottore said, "If the political and military situation was difficult where the nations in Teyvat acted more like nations in your world."
All eyes went to Dottore as he remained in his chair with a smirk.
"Militarily for Britain," Dottore continued, "It changes almost nothing at all. Britain can't invade Snezhnaya. They can't bomb the Tsaritsa's palace or even sail in the waters of Teyvat. That is one ocean that the Royal Navy cannot dominate. And as for his appeal to Teyvat, let me tell you why no nation there will lift even a finger."
"Very well, Herr Doktor," Hitler said, "Let's hear it."
"The nations of Teyvat would have no stomach for war against the Tsaritsa. We are already the most powerful nation on Teyvat and the alliance between our countries strengthens that. Snezhnaya has learned so much already from being comrades with the Axis and through the manners in which the strong and noble leadership of the Führer has helped us in both the short and long run," Dottore said with a slight bow of his head towards Hitler as if boost his ego.
Hitler with a smile accepted the compliment with the smallest lift of his chin.
"Yet, the strength of Snezhnaya is not the only reason. If anything it reinforced it to the nations in Teyvat," Dottore said as he took another sip of his tea and placed it back on the saucer, "Let's start with the fact of how they are. Mondstadt, the nation that is of freedom and would be fired up, cannot even lift the sharpest finger because of one issue. And that is the fact that its actual Grand Master Varka is away on his years long expedition. He took most of the Knights, especially its most elite, with him. We have been watching him on his movements with the new spotter planes you have given us, so far he has not sent any of his Knights back. The acting Grand Master Jean could protest, but that's all she can do."
"Mondstadt? That's the one with the drunkard jobless archon that would make Churchill's drinking look like a hobby?" Himmler asked.
"Correct, the one let his people run themselves," Dottore replied.
Hitler huffed as if offended by the idea and pointed a thumb to his chest, "The one who lets his own people run themselves down into the mirror of the Weimar Republic. The very instability that I had to step in and fix."
"The one that would really weigh the heaviest of all fingers is Fontaine and even they cannot act at all," Dottore said, "They have technology and research that could challenge Snezhnaya by helping Britain. But geography is their enemy and they know it too. Their nation sits high above the waters with very few elevators for their harbors. They cannot risk a war where we can close their harbors and cut them off. Their trade, movement, and even reach would be strangled by our developed navy."
"With the Bismarck in your world, it reinforces that fear for Fontaine once it is repaired," Himmler stated.
"Yes, the nations of Teyvat have nothing to challenge it, that is once it is repaired as according to Sandrone without a dry dock, it will take considerable time. The British Navy cannot even hunt for it," Dottore explained.
Von Roon kept his face still, but the mention of the ship turned his stomach over for a different reason. He had been in the Chancellery when the news of Bismarck's escape through the Mobile Aperture Generator reached the Führer, and he had watched Grand Admiral Raeder stand at attention and absorb a tirade that no sailor of his rank should ever have had to hear. Sandrone's people had looked the ship over in Nod-Krai with their underwater Mekas and reported at least five months for repairs due to the lack of a Dry-Dock in Nod-Krai and her own priorities. The damage to the rudders and destruction of the center propeller where one of its blades lodged into the rudder had shown how severe the damage to the stern was. The Führer had taken the lesson from it and made the decision that no more surface raids without his express permission. Raeder had launched Exercise Rhine on his own initiative and informed Berlin only once the ships were at sea, and he was still paying for that initiative.
"Natlan is in a position right now with its Night Warden Wars that they have their survival to worry about," Dottore went on, "The situation is so serious that the Tsaritsa is considering taking some steps that you had used in Spain to not allow the Abyss to spillover in Teyvat like as if it is Bolshevism with its abyssal corruption. But the point that I am trying to make is that these nations are not in a position to even help…not without doing serious harm to their own people."
Hitler nodded slowly as if every nation of Teyvat had just been placed before him on a map and crossed out one by one.
"So Churchill speaks to cripples," he said.
"To the cautious," Dottore corrected with a faint smile, "Cripples may still bite if stepped on. The cautious must first be convinced that biting is worth losing teeth."
"And the island one?" Himmler asked.
"Inazuma," Dottore inclined his head, "They had a civil war just two years ago and a great deal of blood was spilled for it. As long as no one antagonizes the Shogun's army and keep our distance, they will not care for a long expedition abroad. And Liyue, well, the Qixing will ask what Britain can actually provide to ensure commerce and profit still comes. The answer that Churchill will give will not satisfy them at all as they can't escort convoys to Liyue from their world."
Von Roon noticed there was one nation missing from Dottore's assessment, the one that concerned him most. With it being the only one that might develop its own portal technology, if the briefings about its academics and sciences were even half accurate.
"And Sumeru?" the General asked.
Dottore did not answer at once with the pause noticed by Von Roon and was troubling. With Mondstadt, Fontaine, Natlan, Inazuma, and Liyue, the Harbinger had spoken like a man moving pins across a map. With Sumeru, he seemed to be choosing where to place the knife.
"Sumeru," Dottore said at last, "is the only one among them that deserves a longer answer. If it was years old, then it would have been no concern as it was in a sense under our influence. But the Traveller has changed that equation."
"The blonde rat with the flying pixie?" Hitler said.
"Aether," Dottore said, "And Paimon. The small one is not relevant except insofar as she makes silence impossible."
Himmler gave a faint dry sound of amusement.
Hitler waved his hand, "The name does not matter."
"It matters to those who trust him," Dottore replied, "And that is the problem."
"Before the Traveller inferred, Sumeru was very manageable. The Akademiya could be influenced through a variety of means, Azar under it wanted a new god and that made them very easy to control," Dottore continued as he folded his arms, "But the situation since then has changed."
"How?" Hitler asked.
"The child god is no longer conveniently isolated," he said. "The Akademiya no longer enjoys the same useful arrogance under Azar. That little arrangement is gone and the Sages have been humbled with the Dendro Archon restored to influence. I was present for most of it when the Traveller accomplished all of this in a short time."
The admission drew Von Roon's attention more sharply than any of Dottore's earlier boasts. By this point, he processed what the man was saying in that he best understood how much of a threat that the Traveller was. Hitler seemed to be more focused on this fact as well with Himmler raising an eyebrow.
"You were there." Hitler stated not as a fact.
"I was," Dottore replied.
"And this Traveler defeated your arrangements?"
"He disrupted them, where Nahida threatened to destroy the Gnosis to have Heavenly Principles catch notice. I made an agreement with her that in exchange for the Gnosis that I would destroy my other segments leaving only me," Dottore said.
Himmler's spectacles caught the mountain light again, "You destroyed your own duplicates?"
"My other segments," Dottore corrected, "Duplicates would mean that they hold the same values as me over time."
Hitler's expression hardened, "You sacrificed your own assets because this child god threatened you?"
Dottore smirk grew as he replied, "No, I made a strategic exchange because the alternative was not favorable. If Nahida had destroyed the Gnosis, then it would have drawn the attention of the Heavenly Principles at a time when Snezhnaya was not ready. If the Heavenly Principles had been awoken, then this alliance would not have happened in the first place."
"And this child god," Hitler said. "She holds a grudge against you. Will she act on it?"
"Not this year," Dottore said. "Sumeru is occupied with putting its own house in order. The Akademiya has lost most of its Sages and certainties in the same season. A government rebuilding itself does not send expeditions to other worlds. For example, Mein Führer, has Spain after its turmoil in the Civil War decided to join the Reich in your glorious cause?"
Hitler's jaw moved once, grinding like sandpaper. The memory was not one the Führer enjoyed having produced for him, when he talked to Franco in October 1940 for over seven hours. The Caudillo made conditions for Spain's entry into war and support in taking Gibraltar that was unrealistic. Large quantities of food, petrol, and territories from Vichy France that went nowhere as a result. Von Roon wasn't with the Führer, but he heard through a source that the Führer commented that he would rather have his teeth pulled than to talk to Franco again. Von Roon could see the displeasure on the Führer's face as Dottore seemed to keep his smile knowing that he struck a chord.
"Franco," Hitler said at last, with distaste, "is an ungrateful shopkeeper."
"He is an exhausted one," Dottore said. "Which is my point. The Caudillo owes his throne to your Condor Legion, shares your enemies, and despises your enemies' friends. But still the man has no stomach to march for your cause as his nation has bled for three years and has nothing left to march with. Although, I wouldn't put it past the British to be having Franco's own generals influence him on his decisions. Conviction does not field divisions, mein Führer. Sumeru's god may despise us with all the wisdom in her little head. Her nation is Spain. She will sit in her tree and rebuild her Akademiya, and she will not move."
Hitler nodded slowly, mollified by the arithmetic if not by the memory.
"Then Sumeru sits out the war, as Franco does."
"Sumeru sits out the war this year," Dottore said.
The correction was small, but it had built a noticeable tension in room.
"This year," Hitler repeated.
"I have given you six nations, mein Führer, and for five of them I will promise you any year you like. But Sumeru affliction is recovery and that is only temporary," Dottore expounded, "It is the one nation in Teyvat with the learning to one day understand the apertures themselves. And it is governed by the only ruler in either world who has sat across a table from me and not lost. Sumeru will not answer Churchill this year. I decline to put my name in the year after."
Himmler's spectacles flashed once. Hitler stared at the Doctor for a moment, and then made the dismissing gesture of a man filing an unwelcome figure under matters resolved by willpower.
"Then we shall be finished before the year after," he said.
"Just so," said Dottore, pleasantly.
"And the Traveller? What about him?" Von Roon explained, "You have explained once before that he is a threat to the Tsaritsa's plans many times over. The Abwehr has reliable information that he escaped Berlin and stepped out on a boat from Stettin."
Dottore's smile faded for a moment by a small decree, "The Traveller, yes. He is a complication. And I would have no doubt that he is in Churchill's hands now. But thankfully this is more advantageous for us as the Traveller cannot defend his honor when we release news of the war between Snezhnaya and Churchill. I understand that Dr. Goebbels made a film about the Boer War recently and portrayed Churchill in the light of a butcher, correct?"
Goebbels's name brought a small flicker of satisfaction to Hitler's face.
"Ohm Krüger," Hitler said. "A useful film."
"Very useful," Dottore replied, "A film does not need to be accurate in every detail if it teaches the audience which emotions to have before the facts arrive. And it might prove to be useful in our corner of the universe to have Teyvat ask some uncomfortable questions."
"I will talk to Goebbels on having it ready for distribution for Teyvat," Hitler proclaimed.
"Very good, though considering the start date, I would have something ready for Barbarossa, I would have some at the same time that paints Bolshevism as a greater plague. If the campaigns are presented as separate crises, the audience may fail to see the single pattern we require them to see," Dottore stated.
Hitler's eyes narrowed, but not with anger this time, "And what pattern is that?"
"That Snezhnaya and Germany are not expanding out of greed, but acting against encirclement," Dottore said. "Britain in the west and Bolshevism in the east, we could present it as a civilizational struggle for our worlds. With Bolshevism as the greater of the two threats that could harm Teyvat."
Von Roon said, "That may strike some in Teyvat as contradictory."
Dottore turned his masked face toward him, "How so?"
"Britain and Bolshevism are not the same enemy," Von Roon said. "One is an empire that preserves property, title, trade, and old institutions when they serve it. The other tears such things up by the root and calls the wreckage liberation. If you present them as the same plague, many in Teyvat may notice the contradiction."
Hitler scoffed at the idea as if it almost offended him, "Roon, you worry too much like a clerk. It does not matter whether the cattle understand the slaughterhouse. These nations of Teyvat are soft….look at the picture that Herr Doktor has painted. Wine and poetry and merchants weighing coins, gods who will not trouble to rule. A people that will not master itself is waiting to be mastered; that is the whole of history, and it does not change because the sky is a different color. The strong northern stock is the Tsaritsa's. Her people live in the ice and discipline themselves to it, as ours do. The rest are the leftovers of a softer age. When the time is convenient they will be sorted as such."
"Yes, but," Von Roon continued.
"But if they somehow do march," Hitler then loudly tapped his knuckles from one hand to the palm of another, "the Tsaritsa and I will serve Teyvat a dish that goes down harder than the one we fed the French."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. Please feel free to leave a kudo, subscription, bookmark, and even a comment. I especially love comments as they help motivate me to continue to write and improve my writing.
Here is the historical notes:
1. Dreadnought Hoax in 1910: this is something that actually happened and was real.
2. Hendaye meeting in October 1940: This was a meeting where Hitler meet with the new the dictator of Spain, Francisco Franco, after Hitler took over France. Hitler was wanting to get Spain into the war, so he meet Franco at at Hendaye on the French-Spanish border and spent roughly nine hours trying to bring Spain into the war. Franco's price was deliberately impossible as he wanted a lot for Spanish entry to the war for the Axis and Hitler reported said he would rather have teeth pulled out than talk to Franco again.
3.Rationing in Britain: I tried to keep the numbers of British rationing in WW2 accurate for children as they normally changed continuously as the war continued. But each person would have a book of a color with in Paimon's case, blue meant that it was children and juniors. Honestly, she would fit that category, and I figured that I would take it out on her for the hidden stash of Mora she has in hidden in her sock where she said nothing. I recommend wartching ' How WW2 Rationing shaped Britain' on youtube by the Imperial War Museum.
4. Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939): When the Spanish Civil War started, almost every major power sent volunteers and equipment to the side that they favored. If you play HOI 4, you have probably used that war to farm some army experience and build your doctrine unless of course you actually play one of the two sides. But Germany's support in the Civil War was the Condor Legion where they tested aircraft, tactics, and even the concept of terror-bombing on the Spanish town of Guernica.
5. The British Declaration against Snezhnaya: I assumed that with no embassy in Berlin for the British during wartime, the declaration against Snezhnaya would have to go through a neutral country, such as Switzerland, as the realistic mechanisms.
So here is my questions that you can answer on the comments (one of them is from the other chapter and I am keeping as it is long in the road):
1. When you read these Hitler scenes, which one do you imagine? Like when writing them, I am imagining the one used in Winds of War which was Guenter Meisner. But I would not blame you, if you use the Bruno Ganz one (the iconic Hitler rants one).
2. [Previously used in the previous chapter]: If FDR and Churchill, for example, had to come to Teyvat to meet with the Leaders of Teyvat that are against the Fatui in a sort of Atlantic Charter or Yalta like conference about Snezhnaya. Where do you think would be a great place for the conference in Teyvat? My thoughts were on Wangshu Inn in Liyue or the House of Daena in Sumeru. Give me your thoughts and opinions.
3.In relative to Churchill's appeal to teyvat, who do you think would take him up on it in a heartbeat? I assumed that Diluc would realistic give it a shot for many personal reasons.
Please let me know what you thought on this Chapter. In the next one, we will see Alice and the Jastrow's especially.